Brat girl summer. Mob wife. Coquette.

These are a few examples of microtrends — but nowhere close to the number we’ve seen in 2024 alone. A microtrend is a fad that gains rapid popularity and then loses traction as swiftly as it came. They may last days or weeks, but are fueled by sources we’ve known for a much longer time: social media, influencers and fast fashion brands. For students at Yale and other universities across the country, platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram Reels are driving these trends. Brands like SHEIN and H&M get the most publicity — and criticism — for producing new items at breakneck speed to keep up with microtrends. Moreover, they make these “trendy” products accessible, even to students like us. 

Items from fast fashion brands are not, however, without environmental costs. According to The World Bank, the fashion industry is the source of 10 percent of global carbon emissions. It also has countless other environmental impacts, from the spread of microplastics in water to the 81.5 pounds of clothing the average American puts in landfills each year. During a recent Yale Center for Business and the Environment, known as CBEY, “Moving the Needle: An Exploration of Sustainable Fashion” meeting, I learned that the Hot or Cool Institute estimates that consumers in G20 countries like America need to reduce our clothing consumption by 60 percent to meet the 1.5 degree target for global warming targeted in the Paris Climate Agreement.

It is most certainly the responsibility of the fashion industry to reduce and governments to regulate, with the onus to prioritize ethical production falling on brands. However, many manufacturers escape this problem by just producing in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam that have little ability or incentive to regulate. But we must also acknowledge that consumers are part of the problem. Granted, fast fashion is responsible for flooding our feeds and wardrobes with low-quality, trendy products. But brands do so because they know we’re willing to buy their products. Therefore, we have the power to influence their practices — and hold them accountable.

Let me be honest: I love to shop. Several years ago, I made a commitment to buy 90 percent of my clothes secondhand, only buying new pieces that were essential items. Moreover, I picked even my secondhand items carefully — natural fabrics like silk, linen and cotton. I thought I was shopping guilt free, but I’ve since learned otherwise.

Contrary to what millions of Americans believe, natural materials are not necessarily more sustainable than synthetic materials or blended fabric. In fact, clothing made from polyester and other synthetic materials is often more durable than its natural-fiber counterparts, resulting in a longer use for the buyer and thus fewer new purchases in the long term. Shopping and dressing sustainably isn’t just difficult — it can be downright counterintuitive. 

But we have to do it if we want to lessen our environmental impact. In my own shopping practices, an effective strategy involves several steps:

First, paying the real cost of the garment: although I might, as a poor grad student, be drawn to the cheapest option, I ultimately value clothing more when I pay more for it. Maybe I’ll need to buy one $50 T-shirt instead of five $10 T-shirts. Or I might have to spend an hour thrifting to find a true gem. And the extra money or care that I dedicate to this clothing means that I’ll care for it accordingly.

Second, using the power of “girl math” for good: not only thinking about “price per wear” but also about “waste per wear.” How often do I see myself wearing this item? Is it well made and versatile enough to last for years, or is it trendy or likely to rip after a few wears?

Lastly, brand research — are the brands I’m buying actually sustainable, or do they just claim to be? Do they publish data to back up their claims? Do they have resale programs or similar initiatives to promote fashion that’s truly sustainable? What materials do they use? Where do they produce their clothing?

Even though I’m still far from perfect, it’s important that we all make consistent efforts to improve our consumption practices. We may think we can’t afford it, but given the stakes for our environment, can we afford not to?

SHIVONNE LOGAN is a Masters in Public Policy candidate at the Jackson School for Global Affairs. She can be reached at shivonne.logan@yale.edu.